Cardcaptors: A Mystic Liveblogging

An Unexpected Reunion

Sound familiar? Yeah, these episode titles are pretty unremarkable and low-key. Still, it's better than those awful puns that usually show up in Western cartoon and dub episodes.

Fireworks light the sky and cheerful music plays as the students cheer on the competitors in today's race. Sakura crosses the finish line victorious and gets congratulated by none other than (gasp) Julian! Tori reminds her that their father will come as soon as he's done his lecture. Sakura narrates about her dad being very busy due to being an archaeology professor, but she's excited he'll still be there in time for the rest of the events. Julian informs her of a 400 m race for the parents, and she greatly anticipates her dad participating. Madison's voice informs the cheerleading squad to meet at the front entrance, and Sakura changes offscreen, showing up immediately in costume. Madison tells her that her mother will also be showing up after her meeting. Two random boys, inform that the star athlete from the race is also a cheerleader, decide to check out the goods.

Sakura shows the crowd her moves as Julian captures her poses. Tori sardonically remarks that she always dropped the baton on her head when she started, which jinxes her performance. The final fourth grade event is the 400 m obstacle course, and Sakura's main competitor is none other than Li, who has a deeper, different voice this episode. Just as the two are neck-in-neck near the finish line, Li gets distracted by Julian, trips, and Sakura wins the race! Races in animation are always so fair and balanced.

Madison's mom hasn't arrived yet, so Sakura invites her over to lunch. She nervously invites Li as well, who surprisingly accepts. Julian gobbles everything quickly while Li just stares. When Sakura offers Madison a, um, veggie wrap, a flower petal falls on it. Before the commercial break, many flower petals fall in the sky like snow, signalling the impending Clow Card.

Sakura's dad finally arrives to lunch after Li left, disappointed he missed the cheerleading demonstration, but Madison and Julian luckily got video footage and pictures for him. He brings dessert, prompting Sakura to ask if they still had some left over (for Kero, of course). After the guys go off to clean up, who else shows up but Madison's mother, who looks nothing like her◊. She remarks that Sakura looks like a girl she used to know, prompting her to ask the odd question of her last name. Before she can answer, her dad shows up and shocked, recognizes her as Samantha King before she married. She remarks that Natasha always wanted to name a baby girl Sakura as she realizes who he is. She is determined to win the race, while he calmly replies "May the best win." Sakura is surprised that the two used to be childhood friends.

Tori asks if his dad wants him to run in the race, but he merely claims he has an old score to settle. Tori tells Julian that his mother's two best friends were his dad and Samantha. Unfortunately, the latter two were rivals and Tori believes they only stayed friends for Natasha's sake. The last straw was when his dad beat Samantha for the only spot in the national championships. Julian is surprised that Tori's family had so much history with Madison's, and is disappointed they couldn't be still friends. At the race, Madison is surprised to see her mother in the race, but it turns out she had motivation. The race begins, and already Sakura's dad gets a sprint ahead of everyone else. Athleticism runs in the family, Madison observes. The flower storm intensifies and the students are buried in petals, but Li is forced to stay behind by Zachary just in case they have to treat someone. The flowers don't stop Samantha or Sakura's dad, though, as Madison's mother really hates to lose. Since everyone is distracted, this is an opportune time for Sakura to use her magic and Fly out of there. Unsure of what to do, Madison reminds her that she could call Kero.

Kero just got his butt kicked in some Street Fighter II clone when he gets the phone call. He tells Sakura to find the source, a glowing pink orb. Samantha is still unfettered, swimming through the petals while Sakura's dad serenely chugs along. Chelsea and Rita, holding up the finish line, are stuck, but Julian comes along to take over along with Tori and tells them to get to a higher place. The Clow spirit turns out to be a dancing woman, and she grabs Sakura to dance along with her. Kero, still wrapped in his techniques, says there's no problem, but Madison reminds Sakura that the flower storm is still going. Sorry, but Sakura is going to have to call this dance off, although the spirit isn't too miffed about it. Kero tells Sakura that The Flower◊ is a fun-loving spirit that loves to show up at parties and celebrations to scatter flowers around. Its power is to create any flower in the world. Sakura is very disappointed at this seemingly lame power. Madison is upset that she forgot to record this capture. And Samantha is furious that she got beaten.

Julian and Tori are stuck cleaning up all the flowers, with Julian joking that it's too bad you can't eat flowers. Well, actually, you can. Samantha is angry at all the things Sakura's dad stole from her, but he tells her that she meant so much to Natasha and that he could have never made the nationals without her. She does not accept these comforting words, but perhaps some magically produced flowers will do the trick. They instantly calm her down, reminding her of Natasha. She then breaks down crying as she was wrong about believing there was no place for her in Natasha's life after she married and that she couldn't tell her what she meant to her. Sakura's dad replies, "She knew." Well, I guess Flower is an awesome power after all.

Madison tells Sakura about how awesome it is that they are best friends 20 years later after their parents were best friends. Sakura replies that they'll be friends forever, and they hope their parents can make it up to each other. The closing ceremonies are starting, and the episode ends with Sakura running off in the distance while Madison happily watches in the background.

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